Posted by: Chris Laney on June 12, 2019

How to Practice Fire Safety in a Commercial Property

Protecting your property and tenants is the number one priority of all commercial property owners. Fire safety is something that should not be taken lightly when dealing with the lives of others, especially when it's your responsibility to ensure that all safety measures are up to code and working properly.

If fire hits your property, the damage can cause major losses and costly repairs. This is why being proactive and practicing fire safety in the building is critical to keeping everyone (and everything) safe and sound.

5 Fire Safety Tips to Keep Your Commercial Property Safe

1. Enforce no smoking policies in all areas inside your building. Regardless of what the commercial property is used for, smoking should not be allowed inside the building at any time. Post no smoking signs in all common areas and make the no smoking policy very clear when a new employee or tenant enters the building. You can have designated areas for smokers outdoors, a safe distance away from the building. These areas should be fitted with fireproof containers where people can safely dispose of ashes and cigarettes.
2. Install automatic sprinklers and fire extinguishers on all floors. During the building of your commercial property or a remodel, an experienced contractor should install an automatic sprinkler system that is ready to activate at the first sign of fire or smoke. Fire extinguishers should be placed on all floors of the property and within the guidelines of your state. Training for employees is necessary – they must understand how to use the extinguishers in order for the tools to be effective.
3. Install smoke detectors and fire alarms. Just like a sprinkler system, fire alarms and detectors are an automatic tool that will go off at the first sign of smoke or flames. These alarms will alert those in the building to the fire immediately, giving them the opportunity to pull an alarm to send a signal to the fire department.
4. Check all equipment regularly. Alarms and extinguishers only work to alert the proper people if they are functioning properly. Run tests every six months to ensure they are working as intended. If they are not, hire a professional to repair them.
5. Educate employees and tenants on fire safety. Many people have never experienced a fire and have never gone through fire safety training. It is important to walk them through where they can find fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and escape plans. This will help minimize panic and confusion in the event of an emergency.

Experiencing Fire Damage

Even with the highest level of planning and prevention, a fire can still break out in your commercial property. Once everyone is safe and sound, it's time to begin rebuilding and restoring your building. At Water Out, we work with buildings in Fort Wayne that have experienced fire damage.

From start to finish, we handle all the details of the restoration process. This includes initial inspection, writing out a plan of action, and working with your insurance company. Call Water Out to schedule your inspection and bring your building back to normal quickly and with minimal work on your part.